Atoms and Molecules Meeting 2

Atoms and Molecules Meeting 2

In this Geeky Mom Science Club Meeting, I continue to build on what we learned in Atoms and Molecules session 1.  These meetings are geared for K to 4^th graders and this is a club, so we focus on active experiment based learning, not passive.  I like to start with atoms and molecules because they will help give them the background that they will need for acids and bases, magnets, electricity, static electricity and much more!!!

Activity 1 Review

Paper, pen ect

1.       This is a basic review.  Start by asking them “What is an atom?”  Allow the children to try to recall what one is.   Then you can take paper/marker or a wipe erase board/marker or even give them to each child a start from the beginning trying to lead THEM.    For Example.

           What is in the nucleus?   A proton and neutron.

             What is the charge of a proton? It is positive.  

           What is the charge of the neutron? It is neutral.

               What is in the cloud? An electron and it is negatively charged

2.       Remember 1 is Hydrogen(H) , 2  Helium(He), 3 Lithium (Li), 4 Beryllium (Be), 5 Boron(B)

Try to have a Periodic chart available.

3.       Draw a second set, encouraging the children to use the terminology along the way.  I like the chanting method where you have the children say words 3 times in a row to encourage them to get stuck in their heads!

4.       Finish this through Boron #5

Activity 2 What is a molecule?

Supply list

Perfume, Cups, cotton balls, vaeious smells like vingaer, pepper, vanilla, lemon, peppermint extract, jasmine extract.  Basically as many as you want.

A molecule is when 2 or more atoms join together chemically.  We have been learning about atoms, but these atoms combine and make various molecules or compounds.

1.       How do you know that molecules exist? 

Have the children all close their eyes. Lightly spray a little perfume and wait for the children to react.  What is it that they are smelling? MOLECULES!

2.       There are 100 million of tiny receptor in their little nose that can identify every smell. And every smell is caused by molecules.    Dogs have over 220 million receptors; ask them who is the better smeller? Humans or dogs and why??? 

3.       Pass around the smelling cups and encourage the children to identify what they are smelling.  There are many books about smell that you can get at the library.

Activity 3  Simple changes make a big difference

Supply list – water, hydrogen peroxide, cups

1.       Ask them what they think if they take 1 oxygen, something we breath in every day and add 2 hydrogen to make a molecule? H2o  You have water!  You go from oxygen to water by adding 2 hydrogen!  You can drink that stuff and drink it!

2.       Now what do they think happens if you add another oxygen to H2O?  Do they know what they have???  H2O2  YOU DON’T want to drink that!  You now have hydrogen peroxide!  Show them some h2o2!

3.       Ask them what they are breathing in. Oxygen.  Now breath out, what are they breathing out? CO2, that stuff can replace oxygen and kill you.

4.       Tell them that almost everything is made of Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Hydrogen.

5.       For the older kids add in everyone’s favorite, sugar.  Sugar is 12 Carbon, 22 Hydrogen, 11 Oxygen.

Activity 4 Make a molecule!

Supply list- gumdrops, tooth picks pictures of basic molescules, plastic bags to go home

1.       Ahead of time draw/print out some basic molecules.  I suggest easier molecules  if the children are younger, and a few complicated for older.

2.       I use gum drops but you can come up with other items like maybe playdough.  I divide them up into a few basic atoms like oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen. Give  each element  a color.  

3.        Help them make a few different molecules like H2O, CO2, H2O2.  Older children can make a more complicated molecule like sugar.

Activity 5 Mentos and Diet Coke again

This is of course optional.  We did it again because it was so popular the first time around!  Some things I wish we would have done as extensions is try hot pop and almost frozen pop.  Atoms when they are hot move more rapidly.  Will it be a bigger explosion?  When atoms are really cold, they move very slowly, would it be a sluggish burst?

What about coke as opposed to diet coke or orange pop or sprite.  Will it make any difference?

The children were so very tired after this and we were all content from all the fun we had!

Another great book to add to this unit is Max Axiom, The Solid Truth About States of Matter by Agnieszka Biskup.  This is a graphic novel that children really love!  It is written for 8 to 14 year olds.

EXTRA CREDIT- One thing we started, but I admit we have not been keeping it up, is recite the elements.  We gave the children the option if they wanted to remember the first 5 elements and their symbols and if at the next meeting they could recite them we would give them a treat.  They could recite 5 elements  per meeting.  But we just get so busy planning everything.

EXTRA EXTRA CREDIT  We also have a game called Molecule Memory.   At 8 we mostly just use it to look and observe the different molecules.  But our son can still play the game.  I brought it out so that the kids could see MANY types of molecules.

I hope that this will inspire families to get together and have a science club!  It is really a lot of fun!  We start our meetings at about 12.  I let the children play for about 45 minutes, they just love to get together.  We make a lunch for the children, because I think it is a lot of fun for them to share a meal with friends and use their manners.  After lunch we get started on our club meeting and then if there is time left over the children get to play some more.

Please message me if you have any questions, I would love to help out any way I can and join us at Geeky Moms Science Club.

Be a wonderful influence on a child’s life today.